Girl in class

Lumped in as "Special Needs"

Head down

Don't speak to the others

Don't disturb the class

Aide follows like a mother hen

Helping too much

Girl just wants to be normal

Not stopped by her disability

But by those who fear it

Stay in the corner

Don't talk to your classmates

Girl wants to be part of class

Protecting the class from Girl

Smart Girl

Knows what separates her

She loses the Aide

Rejects the workbooks

She looks normal on her own

Maybe shy?

Girl grows to Woman

Expert at masking symptoms

Ordinary on the outside

Even confident

Still feels wrong inside

Needs more help

Woman is too normal to receive it

Doing so well on her own

That her sickness can't be real anymore

She can't be autistic

Her mask is a double edged sword